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“Insane, seriously insane!” That’s how Trinity Health Exercise Physiology Manager Russell Gust reacted when he saw the numbers on the check.

Power of Pink, an annual cancer fundraiser of Minot’s MarketPlace Foods stores, packed an extra punch this year, raising $25,143 for patients enrolled in Trinity Health’s Cancer Exercise Rehab program. The program offers clinical exercise and conditioning for cancer patients and survivors.

Representatives of MarketPlace Foods presented the check with the big sum to Trinity Health Foundation and other officials on Wednesday.

Peggy Kallias, bakery manager at the North Hill store, said the coronavirus pandemic prevented the retailer from holding its traditional cake decorating and live auction event. Undeterred, MarketPlace managers went ahead with a multitude of promotions, including Power of Pink cakes available for purchase in all four MarketPlace Foods stores and a silent auction of selected cakes. “We knew it would be different this year without the cake auction,” Kallias said. “Even so, people and businesses who had bid on cakes in the past called us to submit a bid anyway.”

In addition to sales of cakes, 10 percent of all pink bakery items sold from October 11-17 went toward the pink campaign. Supermarket cashiers did their part, asking each customer if they could spare some change for the cause. Kretschmar also got involved, donating 50 cents for each pound of meat sold.

Flooding the zone with pink promotions was clearly a good move, but store managers were still amazed when they tallied the proceeds. “I was, like, shocked,” Kallias said. “I was scared that without the auction we’d come up short. The checkers did an awesome job.”

Asked if MarketPlace Foods considered skipping this year’s Power of Pink altogether, Kallias said, “No, we knew we had to do it because cancer still goes on.”